Diabetes Screening

HbA1c Blood Test

At some point your GP or Nurse may perform a blood test to measure the amount of glucose (sugar) that has been 'bound'  (stuck) to your red blood cells over the last 2-3 months. This gives us an indication of how well your body is controlling your blood sugar levels in general. The result may be as follows:

• 'Normal'  --> Repeat at 5 years or if symptoms of diabetes develop
• 'At Risk of Diabetes' ----> Discuss with our practice nurse and our health trainer Karen how we can minimize the risk of you developing diabetes in the future.
• 'Diabetic'---> You will be asked to come in and discuss this with a GP.

Diagnosing diabetes and picking up those who are 'at risk' early can help us to minimise the potential complications that can ensue.

Diabetes

More information on Diabetes can be found here:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetes-type2/pages/introduction.aspx

Bowel Screening

The Oaks Family Practice are committed to the Bowel screening programme and would strongly recommend that our patients complete the test kit.  This will be sent through  the post to our patients between the ages of 58 and 74.  It is a really simple test and can detect small amount of blood in the sample, which are not visible to the eye.  Early detection can save lives.  Please see the link below for further information.  If you receive a kit, just take the test and post it back. 

Bowel cancer screening - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Prostate Cancer

About 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer in the UK and this increases to 1 in 4 in black men.  Your risk increases as you get older, in African /Afro-Caribbean heritage or if you have a family history of prostate cancer.  Early diagnosis means prostate cancer can be treated successfully.  If you have any concerns, come and discuss this with your doctor who will arrange a simple blood test. 

Please see the links below for further information.

Prostate cancer - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

https://prostatecanceruk.org

https://prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker

Breast Screening

Screening and early detection can save lives.  

Anyone registered with a GP as female will be invited for NHS breast screening every 3 years between the ages of 50 and 71. You'll get a letter in the post inviting you.  Please ensure that you attend or rearrange if not convenient.  This is an x-ray which can detect cancers that are too small to see or feel.

Breast screening (mammogram) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

LGBTQ Groups and cancer screening

The Oaks Family Practice recognises that our LGBTQ patients are under-represented in the national cancer cervical screening programme and we would like to offer support and further information to enable groups to access this.  Please visit the link below or contact us here at the practice for any further information or if you have any concerns with your health.  We are here to listen.

LGBT Foundation - Cervical screening

Please see the latest newsletter  from Pride in Practice

Pride in Practice Newsletter - February 2023 (mailchi.mp)